Set for producing illuminated zones of extremely clean atmosphere

ABSTRACT

A set for producing illuminated zones of extremely clean atmosphere is provided. The set comprises a laminar flow unit and illuminating equipment consisting of a source of light and a deviating system for the light, the source of light being installed outside and the deviating system inside the zone of extremely clean atmosphere.

United States Patent 1191 Hortig Apr. 23, 1974 [5 1 SET FOR PRODUCING ILLUMINATED 3,437,803 4/1969 Seitz et a1. 240/1.4 3,671,735 6/1972 King 240/1.4

ZONES OF EXTREMELY CLEAN ATMOSPHERE Hans-Peter Hortig, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Farbwerk'e Hoechst Inventor:

Assignee:

Aktiengesellschaft vormals Meister Lucius & Bruning, Frankfurt Main, Germany Filed: Mar. 9, 1973 Appl. N0.: 339,530

Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 15, 1972 Germany 2212493 U.S.-C1 .f 240/1.4,240/41.15, 240/9 A 110.01. A6lg l3/00,F21v 33/00 Field of Search 240/14, 2 v, 41.15, 9 A

Potapenko 240/1 .4

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 799,027 3/1936 France 240/l.4 1,121,606 7/1968 Great Britain 240/l.4

Primary Examiner-Richard M. Sheen Attorney, Agent, or Firm- -Curtis, Morris & Safford' ing of a source of light and adeviating system for the light, the source of light being installed outside and the deviating system inside the zone of extremely Clean atmosphere.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures fii PATENTEUAPR 23 I974 sum 1' OF 4 Fig. 1 (PRIOR ART) sphere.

. .1 SET FOR PRODUCING ILLUMINATED ZONES-F EXTREMELY CLEAN ATMOSPHERE The present invention relates to a set comprising a laminar flow unit and illuminating equipment to produce illuminated zones of extremely clean atmosphere.

Contamination of working places by foreign particles and germs from the surrounding atmosphere can be excluded with the aid of modern clean air techniques according to the laminar flow principle with a safety that is several decimal powers higher than that of methods hitherto used, provided, however, that on the respec-- tive working places laminar flow currents of air of high I quality are maintained.

Working places requiring extreme cleanliness are, for

example, operating tables in surgery.

It has been proposed to use laminar flow units to produce zones of extremely clean atmosphere in operating rooms. A drawback with these units is, however, the arcritical place, i.e., where the patient lies, the laminar flow collapses. Thus the control of the airflow is lost,

as is the laminar flow transport of particles or germs. The essential characteristic of the laminar flow principle is no longer ma-intained. f

Attempts have been made to replace the reflectors by uniformly distributed cold fluorescent lamps, but the illumination thus obtained is insufficient for modern operation technics. Hence, in spite of their'disadvantage, it is not possible to do without reflectors.

It is the object of the present invention to provide the required illumination of the place of operation and si- Y multaneously to produce at the said place a controlled current of first quality air preventing the transport of contaminants from the surroundings to the operating table.

The set according to the invention comprises a laminar flow unit and illuminating equipment to produce illuminated zonesof extremely'clean. atmosphere,

wherein the illuminating equipment consists of a source of light and a deviating system for the light, the source of light being installed outside and the light deviating system inside of thezone of "extremely clean atmo- The deviating system consistsof atleast one mirror or prism or light-conducting cable. Deviating systems consisting of small mirror strips or a plurality of narrow prisms are preferred so that no shadow'with respect to flow technics is formed at the place of operation.

for vertical and horizontal arrangement. With vertical arrangement the lateral limitation of the laminar flow unit should be provided with an opening for the light in such a manner that a partial current of the laminar flow in the zone of the source of light emerges from the lam-- The set according to the invention is equally suitable scribed in further detail and by way of example only with reference'to accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the state of air of laminar flow units in vertical and horizontal arrangement. FIGS. 3-5 illustrate respective embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Through a preliminary filter 12 air is introduced into the laminar flow unit consisting of enclosure 1, in which are installed fans (not shown) and highefficiency filters 6, with lateral limitations or curtain walls confining the flow of air to a predetermined area. High-efiiciency filters 6 purify the air and produce a parallel flow of air 2 in the sense of laminar flow technics. Witha vertical arrangement as shown in FIG. 3 one lateral limitation or'wall l1 of the laminar flow unit has an opening 10 through which the light of reflector 8, which is outside of the laminar flow unit, enters the theless almo'st'fthe entire'light reaches the working place. The same applies to the use of prisms.

In the case'of a horizontal arrangement, it is expedient to conduct the light onto the deviating system -7 in i a direction opposite tothe direction of air current 2.

In the known sets of this type, as shown in FIGS. l and 2, the reflector 8'is within the laminar flow unit. As can be seen by the flow pattern of the air, the reflector causes the formation of air whirls and, owing to the upcurrent due to hotair, uncontrolled back and transverse cu rrents-4 areformed. The uncontrolled flow prevents the supply of extremely clean air, the elirn ination of contaminations set free by the working process, or operation and promotes the transport of impurities to the working-place or patient 3. In the drawings, nu-

metal 5 indicates the working personnel from which air should possibly not be directed to the working place 3.

.What is claimed is:

. 1. A device for illuminating and providing clean air' to a clean room cornprising, in combination, means for producing laminar air flow of clean air in at least a pre determined portion of said room and means for producing an illuminated zone in the clean air laminar flow in the room, said means for producing an illuminated zone comprisinga source of light located outside of the laminar air flow in said predetermined portion of the room for directing light thereto and means positioned in the path of said laminar air flow and in said predeterminedportion of the room,'for deviating light from said light source to a predetermined location within said laminar air flow while substantiallymaintaining said laminar air flow to said predetermined portion of said room.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the deviation means consists of at least one mirror.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the deviating means consists of at least one prism.

4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said lamiportion of the room, said source of light being located adjacent said wall portion thereof and positioned to direct light through said opening to said light deviating means, whereby heat produced from said light source is kept outside said clean room and the laminar flow of air along said wall portion prevents contaminants from entering said room through said opening. 

1. A device for illuminating and providing clean air to a clean room comprising, in combination, means for producing laminar air flow of clean air in at least a predetermined portion of said room and means for producing an illuminated zone in the clean air laminar flow in the room, said means for producing an illuminated zone comprising a source of light located outside of the laminar air flow in said predetermined portion of the room for directing light thereto and means positioned in the path of said laminar air flow and in said predetermined portion of the room, for deviating light from said light source to a predetermined location within said laminar air flow while substantially maintaining said laminar air flow to said predetermined portion of said room.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the deviation means consists of at least one mirror.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the deviating means consists of at least one prism.
 4. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said laminar air flow producing means produces said laminar air flow along a horizontal path across a predetermined portion of the room, said source of light being located in said room on the side of said predetermined portion of the room opposite said air flow producing means.
 5. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for producing laminar air flow produces laminar air flow outside of said clean room adjacent a wall portion thereof and in a vertical direCtion, said wall portion of the clean room having an opening therein and said source of light being located outside of said room adjacent said wall portion thereof and positioned to direct light through said opening to said light deviating means, whereby heat produced from said light source is kept outside said clean room and the laminar flow of air along said wall portion prevents contaminants from entering said room through said opening. 